Electromagnetic tenter clip



' June 6, 1944. A. F. HASKINS ELECTROMAGNETIC TENTER CLIP I5Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 26, 1941 Inventor ALL N F HAsK/Ns A How/11yJune 6, 1944. 1 A. F. HASKINS 2,350,961

ELECTROMAGNETIC TENTER CLIP Filed Aug. 26, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ALLENFHAs/r/Ns I /o I I,

A Home June 1944- A. F. HASKINS 961 ELECTROMAGNETIC TENTER CLIP FiledAug. 26, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor ALLEN F H/ls/r/Ns.

A Imrney meral generally designates a conventional form Patented June 6,1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTROMAGNETIC TENTER. CLIP AllenF..Haskins, Cranston, R. I.

Application August 26, 1941, Serial No. 408,374

8 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in tentering apparatus, andparticularly to an automatically operated tenter clip for use therein,the same being closed by electro-magnetic action and opened by springaction, and the primary object. 5 of my invention is to providearrangements of the character indicated which eliminate a great amountof the work in the tentering operation which is ordinarily performed byhand at considerable expense and loss of time, and to improve theresults of the tentering operations.

Other important objects and advantages of my invention will be apparentfrom a reading of the following description taken in connection with theappended drawings, wherein for purposes of illustration I have shown apreferred embodiment of my invention.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a general fragmentary top plan view oftentering apparatus showing the incorporation therein ofelectro-magnetically and spring operated tenter clips in accordance withthe present invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of one of the clips.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of Figure 2 with certain underlying portionsshown in phantom lines. 1

Figure 4 is a fragmentary rear 'elevational view 7 showing the clipincorporated in the chain. 3'0

Figure 5 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken throughFigure 1 along the line 5--5 and looking toward the right in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional 535 view taken throughFigure 3 along the line 6-'-6 and looking upwardly in the direction ofthe arrows.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the nu- :40 of tenter frame whichis provided with the channel 6 which runs around the outer edge of themetallic body 1 in an oblong form as indicated in Figure 1 of thedrawings to accommodate the chain 8 which is operated by conventionalmeans (not shown). The chain is formed of links 9 which arecharacterized by apertured lugs In at one end and vertically spaced earsII at the opposite end to receive the lug H] on the adjacent link withthe rivets or pins I2 passing through the ears H and the lugs, in aconventional manner.

At the laterally inward side of the track channel 6 the body I risesabove the top l3 of the outer wall of the track to providean elevatedhori- 55 zontal flat shoulder l4 whose laterally inward end is boundedby the riser l5, the top of the chain being substantially on a levelwith the top of the shoulder l4 as indicated in Figure 5 of thedrawings.

The clip of the present invention which is generally designated I6comprises the base portion which is generally T-shaped in top plan. Thecross head I! of the base has at opposite ends the lugs In similar tothe lug ID on the ordinary chain links and vertically spaced ears I l'similar to the ears H on the regular chain links, so that the cross headI! is substantially similar to an ordinary link, having approximatelythe same length and cross section.

The standard portion I8 of the T-sh'aped base is elongated generallyrectangular in shape and adjacent its forward end is reduced in heightto provide the cloth supporting surface [9 which is characterized by atransversely extending concavity 20. A vertically swingable plate 2|overlies the cloth supporting surface I9 as indicated in Figure 6 of thedrawings, being pivoted at its rearward end by ears 22 to pivot means 23projecting from opposite sides of an intermediate part of the standardportion [8. The plate 2| is longitudinally slotted as indicated by thenumeral 24 at a point above and slightly forwardly of the concavity 29as indicated in Figure 6 to allow the J-shaped pressure finger 25 topass into the concavity 20, from a position thereabove.

The standard portion l8 has lateral lugs 26 which project from itsopposite sides adjacent the cross head I! and these are apertured toaccommodate bolts 27 which secure the vertical core electro-magnets 28in position. To'the rearv of the electro-magnets and over the forwardpart of the cross head I1 is a pair of vertical brackets 29 which havehorizontal journals therein receiving the pintles 30 which projectthrough the opposite depending flanges 32 of'the upper jaw 3|. A bolt 21passes through the brackets 29 and through the depending flanges 32 ofthe upper jaw 3| and also through the legs of the roll contact carrier34. The outer ends of the pintles are slotted as indicated by thenumeral 35 to accept one end of the helical springs 36 which have theopposite end thereof located under an abutment 3'! on the outer sides ofthe legs of the U-shaped roll contact carrier 34, whereby the springs 36normally swing the carrier 34 in an upward direction to firmly andyieldably engage the contact roller 38 carried on the bight portion 39of the said carrier against the underside of the electrified rail 40which is connected and insulated by an element 4| from the horizontalportion 42 of an L-shaped channel forming member 43 which runs aroundparallel to the track and is mounted on an insulating plate 43 which hasa portion overhanging the shoulder M as illustrated in Figure 5 of thedrawings. The bracket 43 is connected to the positive side of a lowvoltage current source 45, the negative side of the source beingconnected to the tenter frame 1 as indicated in Figure 5 of thedrawings. The current is carried from the contact roller carrier 34 toone side of the winding of the electro-magnets 28 by means of flexibleconductors 46, with the remaining ends of the windings of theseelectro-magnets grounded to the standard portion l8 on which they aremounted, thereby completing the electrical circuits through the tenterframe.

As indicated in Figure 3 of the drawings the j legs of the contactroller carrier are mounted on the pintles 3!] outside of the dependingflanges 32; of the upper jaw 3| and at the inner ends of the helicalsprings 36, the depending flanges having bosses 4! on the outer sidesthereof to provide proper bearings against the inner sides of the legsof the carrier 34, in view of the tapered plan shape of the upper jaw3|.

The upper jaw 3| is tapered in plan from its rearward to its forward endas indicated in Figure 3 of the drawings and is in the form of aninverted channel having the depending side flanges 32 already mentioned.Adjacent the rear end of the upper jaw a contractile spring 48 isstretched between a lug 49 on the upper jaw and the projection 50 whichextends from the cross head H in alignment with the standard portion 8and whose under surface 5| is elevated to ride along the elevatedshoulder M of the tenter frame as indicated in Figure 5 of the drawings,while the under surface of the standard portionl 8 rides along the top|3 of the outer wall oftthe chain channel 6. The top of the projection53 is cut away as indicated by the numeral 52 .to engage under theinsulator plate 44 which overhangs the shoulder I 4.

The outeror forward end of the upper jaw 3t is formed with atransversely spaced pair of sockets which relatively loosely receivevertically reciprocable shanks 55 which have adjusting nuts 56, asindicated in Figure 6 of the drawings, to adjust the tension of thehelical spring 51 which is circumposed on the shank 55 between thebottom of the socket 53 and-a collar 56 on the lower part of the shank.The collar v is" situated at the upper edge or top of atransverselyelongated plate 59 which is grooved at its inner side at 62and terminates. flush with the non-metallic cloth gripping plate 6|, the

lower ends of both the plate 6| and the plate 59 being oppositelybeveled as indicated in Figure 6 of the drawings for proper engagementwith the cloth 62. It'will be observed that the wide spac- I ing of theshanks 55 and the presence of the yielding pressure springs 51, providefor automatic leveling of the plate 59 and gripping element 6| relativeto the cloth, so that definite stabilization of the gripiupon the clothis positively provided for, thereby promoting a uniformly accommodatedgrip upon the cloth in opposition to the plate 2| which engages theunderside of the cloth. The plate 2| is maintained in an up pressedposition shown in Figure 6 of the drawings by a plurality oftransversely spaced pins63 which work through openings 64 in the bottomof sockets 65 underlying-the front end of the platell, the pins 63depending from the plate 2| and having circumposed thereon expandingsprings 66 whose lower ends rest on the bottom of the sockets. Retainingmeans 61 on the lower ends of the pins rotatably engages the bottom ofthe sockets. It will be observed that the stabilizing action referred tois amplified and distributed still further by the presence of the pins63 and their springs 66, the pivoting 0f the plate 2 I at 23 beingsufliciently loose to allow some tilting of the plate 2| other than itsswinging movement on the axis of the pivot 23.

The J-shaped pressure finger 25 has its upper end pivoted as indicatedby the numeral 68 on a lug 69 depending from the web of the upper jaw 3|and the upper end of the pressure finger has av lateral arm 10 which isloosely telescoped into a sl'eeve'll which is pivotally mounted at I2betweenapair of ears 13 formed on the bracket 33 of the base of theclip. With the depressed curved end of the pressure finger 25 arrangedin the slot .24 oftheplate 2|, the proper allowance .for-theselvageofthecloth is automatically provided for through the jointed connection ofthe finger'25 with the upper jaw 3| and the telescoping connection ofthe finger 25 with the base. A stop pin 13 rises from the projection 50to the rear of the'brackets 33 to limit the downward swinging of theadjacent end of the upper jaw by .roller 38 from under the electrifiedrail 40. As

the contact roller leaves the end of the electrified rail the springs 36swing the carrier upwardly in the position shown in Figure 6 of thedrawings, thereby deenergizing the magnets 28 and putting anend" totheir effective attraction of. the mag netizableplates or'blocks 14which are secured to the underside of L-shaped brackets 15 which aresecured torthe opposite side flanges 32 of the upper jaw 3| at pointsoverlying the cores of the magnets. While the magnets are energized themagnetizableplates or armatures 14 engage the cores 16 of the magnets28, in which position the magnetshold' them during the residence of thecontact 'roller'38 under the electrified-rail 40, thereby maintainingthe upper jaw 3| .in a full depressedcondition. As the roller 38. comesoff the electrified rail and the electro-magnets are deenergized, thesprings 51 and 6B and 48 coact successively and simultaneously to openthe jaws wide and release the, cloth 62. As the chain 8 moves around thetrack and the rollers 38 come again under and make electrical engagementwith the electrified rail 46, the upper jaw is operated downwardly to aclosed position instantaneously, and maintained closed until the end ofthe chain link elements forming parts of the chains, verticallyswingable jaws mounted on said bases, electro-magnets on said bases,magnetizable portions on said upper jaws overlying said electromagnets,one end of the windings of said electromagnets being connected to'oneside of a source of current with the remaining sides of the windings ofthe electro-magnets connected to a spring positioned contactor, meansmovably mounting the contactors on said tenter clips, a conductive railconnected to the remaining side of said source and with which thecontactors engage to energize the magnets and attract said magnetizableportions to close the jaws, said rail being discontinuous to permit thecontactors to move out of contact therewith to deenergize the magnets,and spring means for swinging said swingable jaws to open position upondeenergization of said electro-magnets.

2. Cloth tentering apparatus comprising a tenter frame includingcontinuous chains working in oblong channel tracks formed in said tenterframe, means moving the chains along the tracks, tenter clips havingbases consisting of chain link elements forming parts of the chains,vertically swingable jaws mounted on said bases, electro-magnets on saidbases, magnetizable portions on said upper jaws overlying saidelectromagnets, one end of the windings of said electromagnets beingconnected to one side of a source of current with the remaining sides ofthe windings of the electro-magnets connected to a spring positionedcontactor, means movably mounting the contactors on said tenter clips, aconductive rail connected to the remaining side of said source and withwhich the contactors engage to energize the magnets and attract saidmagnetizable portions to close the jaws, said rail being discontinuousto permit the contactors to move out of contact therewith to deenergizethe magnets, and spring means for swinging said swingable jaws to openposition upon deenergization of said electro-magnets, said contactorscomprising upwardly spring pressed carriers including a conductiveroller, and said conductive rail being supported for engagement of saidrollers with the underside of said rail.

3. Cloth tentering apparatus comprising a tenter frame includingcontinuous chains working in oblong channel tracks formed in said tenterframe, means moving the chains along the tracks, tenter clips havingbases consisting of chain link elements forming parts of the chains,vertically swingable jaws mounted on said bases,

electro-magnets on said bases, magnetizable por tions on said upper jawsoverlying said electromagnets, one end of the windings of saidelectromagnets being connected to one side of a source of current withthe remaining sides of the windings of the electro-magnets connected toa spring positioned contactor, means movably mounting the contactor onsaid tenter clips, a conductive rail connected to the remaining side ofsaid source and with which the contactors engage to energize the magnetsand attract said magnetizable portions to close the jaws, said railbeing discontinuous to permit the contactors to move out of contacttherewith to deenergize the magnets, and spring means for swinging saidswingable jaws to open position upon deenergization of saidelectro-magnets, said contactors comprising upwardly spring pressedcarriers including a conductive roller, and said conductive rail beingsupported for engagement of said rollers with the underside of saidrail,said carriers being pivoted independently of the jaws.

4. A tenter clip comprising a T-shaped body comprising a base, the crosshead of said body including a link element for incorporating in thetrack chain of a tenter machine, the standard portion of said T-shapedbody projecting from said cross head toward the cloth to be held, saidstandard portion comprising a relatively stationary lower jaw for thecloth to rest upon, at least one electro-magnet on said base, an uppervertically swingable jaw pivoted on said base to engage the top of thecloth in opposition to the lower relatively stationary jaw, at least onemagnetizable part on said upper jaw overlying said 'electro-magnet,spring means urging said upper jaw toward open position, and electricalmeans for energizing said electro-magnet to close said upper jaw andhold the same in depressed cloth holding position, a first floatingspring sustained cloth engaging element on the lower jaw, a secondspring stabilized cloth engaging element on the upper jaw.

5. A tenter clip comprising a T-shaped body comprising a base, the crosshead of said body including a link element for incorporating in thetrack chain of a tenter machine, the standard portion of said T-shapedbody projecting from said cross head toward the cloth to be held, saidstandard portion comprising a relatively stationary lower jaw for thecloth to rest upon, at least one electro-magnet on said base, an uppervertically swingable jaw pivoted on said base to engage the top of thecloth in opposition to the lower relatively stationary jaw, at least onemagnetizable part on said upper jaw overlying said electro-magnet,spring means urging said upper jaw toward open position, and electricalmeans for energizing said electro-magnet to close said upper jaw andhold the same in depressed cloth holding position, a first floatingspring sustained cloth engaging element on the lower jaw, a secondspring stabilized cloth engaging element on the upper jaw, said secondcloth engaging element being characterized by elongation transversely ofthe upper jaw and by a plurality of active springs, said springs beingspaced transversely with respect to said upper jaw.

6. A tenter clip comprising a substantially horizontal base having aforward portion and a rearward portion, said forward portion comprisinga relatively stationary lower jaw, an elevation rising from said base ata point intermediate said forward and rearward portions, an upper jawpivoted intermediate its ends on said elevation to overlie said basewith its forward part positioned over said lower jaw, opening springmeans connected between said base and said upper jaw to urge said upperjaw toward open position, a stop rising from the rearward portion of thebase for engagement by the rearward part of said upper jaw to limit theopening of the upper jaw, a depressible spring supported lower grippingelement on said lower jaw upon which the cloth is to immediately rest,an upwardly yieldable spring pressed upper gripping element dependingfrom the upper jaw over said lower jaw element to engage the upper sideof cloth resting on said lower jaw element, magnetizable means on saidforward portion of the upper jaw, and electromagnet means on the forwardportion of the base to be energized to attract said magnetizable meansto depress and hold the upper jaw in closed position wherein said upperaw element and said lower jaw element are compressed against the top andbottom, respectively, of the cloth, said upper grippingelement and saidlower gripping element being arranged to expand when saidelectromagnet'means is deenergized to assist said opening'spring meansinmoving the upper jaw to open position. p

7. Cloth tentering apparatus comprising a frame and a track chain; atenter clip, a generally horizontalbase comprising a supporting linkelement adapted to form a part of the track chain, an upper jaw rockablymountedon said base, spring means normally urging said upper jaw open,said upper jaw having a magnetizable portion, an electromagnet on saidbase for attracting said magnetizable portion to move said upper jaw toclosed position, an upwardly spring pressed contactor pivoted on aportion of said base, said .contactorbeing insulated from the base andeffectively electrically connected to said electromagnet, and anelectrical conductor supported on said frame along the path of movementof said tenter clip with said contactor engaging an under portion ofsaid conductor, said conductor comprising spaced lengths, the spacesbetween lengths permitting said contactor to run 011 the conductor anddeenergize said electromagnet.

8. Cloth tentering apparatus according to claim '7 wherein saidcontactor comprises a carrier having a contact making roller rollablyengaging said under portion of the-conductor.

ALLEN F. HASK]1\TS.

